Dark Knight Rises Blu-ray, DVD Announcement and Details

We've been hearing whispers and rumors for weeks now about what we might see on The Dark Knight Rises Blu-ray, and finally Warner Bros. shed some light on the much-anticipated release. The Dark Knight Rises will come to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download December 4, 2012.

And just like The Dark Knight before it, which got a nifty Limited Edition Bat Pod box set, The Dark Knight Rises will also get an exclusive Limited Edition set, featuring a snazzy statue of the broken Bat Cowl. Take a look:

[UPDATE] Warner Home Video has officially announced full specs and details for this release. The Blu-ray combo pack will include a 1080p transfer with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The disc will include nearly an hour's worth of IMAX footage. According to the press release, Warner has crafted a "marriage of IMAX and 35mm formats by using the hybrid master to replicate the unique theatrical experience of integrated film formats."

The DVD will feature an anamorphic widescreen presentation (presumably sans the IMAX footage) and 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. The DVD will also include an UltraViolet copy of the film and "The Journey of Bruce Wayne" featurette.

Here's a look at the Blu-ray artwork:

Bonus features for the Blu-ray will include the following:

The Batmobile Documentary: Witness all five Batmobiles together for the first time in history. Dive deep into every aspect of the most awe-inspiring weapon in Batman's arsenal as you journey through the birth and evolution of this technological marvel and cultural icon.

Ending the Knight: A comprehensive look into how Director Christopher Nolan and his production team made "The Dark Knight Rises" the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend.

- The Prologue: High-Altitude Hijacking

- Return to the Batcave

- Beneath Gotham

- The Bat

- Batman vs Bane

- Armory Accepted

- Gameday Destruction

- Demolishing a City Street

- The Pit

- The Chant

- The War on Wall Street

- Race to the Reactor

- The Journey of Bruce Wayne

- Gotham's Reckoning

- A Girls Gotta Eat

- Shadows & Light in Large Format

- The End of A Legend

Trailers

Art Galleries

DVD copy

UltraViolet Copy

According to the press release: "Also available will be the free The Dark Knight Rises app for IOS 5.0 or higher compatible devices including iPhone and iPad, and Samsung Galaxy devices including S2, S3, Note, Nexus and Tab (operating system requirements vary by device). Building upon the already available "TDKR: Gotham City's Most Wanted" app, The Dark Knight Rises app will be updated in two phases. The first update, which will be available in late October, will include several interactive activities such as a photo application that will allow users to put themselves into a Tumbler, a video application that will allow users to insert a Tumbler into their personal videos, and more. The second update, which will be available on December 4, will integrate second screen functionality into the app. It will allow users to sync compatible mobile devices with the Blu-ray disc via BD-Live enabled Blu-ray players connected to the same Local Area Network to access exclusive bonus content. The bonus content will include film location information, Gotham City maps, film trivia, photo galleries and "making of" featurettes. In addition, the second screen app controls playback of the film on your TV via Blu-ray player. "The Dark Knight Rises" app will be available through the iTunes store and Google Play."

Warner Home Video has also announced The Dark Knight Trilogy Limited Edition Giftset, out Dec. 4 2012, which brings all three Christopher Nolan films together in one place. This set will also feature a collectible book that delves into the production of all three titles.

Also, Warner also promises yet another boxset, The Dark Knight Trilogy Ultimate Collector's Edition, to be released sometime in 2013. Perhaps it will contain this documentary:

Suggested retail for the Blu-ray Giftset is set at $52.99. Amazon's pre-order price is set at just $37.09.

The Dark Knight Rises Blu-ray combo pack SRP is set at $35.99, and $39.99 for the Limited Edition Bat Cowl set. The DVD SRP is $28.98. Amazon's current pre-order price is $24.99 for the Blu-ray combo pack, $35.99 for the Bat Cowl Limited Edition set, and $17.99 for the DVD.

It does look like those long-rumored deleted scenes will not be part of the set. Perhaps they're tucked away in the 17 featurettes, or they've be available via the Second Screen app. As always, stay tuned for more news.

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